endorsements (better late than never)

[totient]

For Governor's Council: Michael Callahan. Callahan's opponent is a big fan of mandatory minimum sentencing. That's reason enough for me to recommend you vote against her and for him.

For Register of Probate: write in Sean O’Donovan, 30 Warwick St, Somerville (though just "Somerville" enough of an address). The effect of this vote, in the likely case that Buonomo wins the primary and then withdraws, would be to influence who the party committee picks as a replacement.

For Senate: Ed O’Reilly. Not that he has any chance of winning, but this is a good way to let Kerry know where his constituency stands on things like single-payer healthcare.

I don't usually make endorsements for districts I don't live in, but if you're in 34th Middlesex and care about progressive politics at all, I heartily remind you to write in "Carl M. Sciortino, Jr. 17 Orchard St, Medford" for state representative.

Comments

[ceo]

Sean O'Donovan is our alderman. If being elected Register of Probate would mean we get rid of him, that would be an excellent reason to write him in. of course, I already voted, and couldn't remember the names of any of the write-in candidates so I left that one blank.

Reading about Callahan's opponent's fondness for mandatory minimum sentencing is what prompted me to get off my arse and go vote. It dovetailed with a disturbing piece of news I received yesterday, about which I have a post brewing.

[chaiya.livejournal.com]

Wait, why do you want to get rid of Sean O'Donovan?

[ceo]

He's always struck me as too much a part of the Somerville old-boy network.

[ron_newman]

How so? I really like Joe Lynch. He's much better informed about everything in the neighborhood than O'Donovan is.

[i-leonardo.livejournal.com]

my apologies: i used some hyperbole that was inappropriate for a forum as public as this lj appears to be. palmwiz can probably recall me talking about my concerns and would evaluate in context but nobody else here would have that background. if i can, i'm going to delete the original comment.

mr.lynch has been personable and friendly to me. but he also told me about his tactic of addressing disputes with people by "slap[ping] a lawsuit on `em" as a first or second resort and it was my impression that he introduced a degree of vitriol and combativeness to the recent campaign that i didn't think would be constructive on the board of aldermen. i'd have been more impressed if he'd bragged about his ability to convince and persuade people with whom he disagreed, rather than suing them. would also have been impressed by more campaign focus on what he's accomplished as a citizen activist and how he'd pursue his specific goals, rather than on how crummy his opponent was. i'll keep an open mind next time he's campaigning, in case he adjusts his style.

[jered]

Carl's not in my district, so it doesn't matter, but I lost all my respect for him over the "uh, I can't find my signatures" issue. If he had to get 1000 signatures, I'd have some sympathy. But if he's so disorganized he can't get, what was it, 150? together, I strongly doubt his ability to get anything done in politics.

[scholargipsy.livejournal.com]

I worked for Sciortino's campaign, and while I freely concede that losing the signatures was a head-bashingly careless and naive thing to allow to happen, he was a passionate, patient, and effective rep, and I'll be writing him in and hoping against hope.

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

The signatures had been authenticated by the city of Somerville before they went missing. So there is some proof there were signature pages to begin with.